PROGRESSIVE rock is still a commercial force to be reckoned with in Italy, the country of Atto IV’s origin.

This new album has been two years in the making following some line-up changes in 2008 and marks a new chapter for the band.

There are nine tracks here, with six numbers forming two extended works called ‘The Mind’s Arabesque’ and the instrumental ‘The Voyager.’

It is a true progressive album with influences ranging from fusion to electronic, though heavy metal. It is more melodic than a lot of Prog Rock and is reminiscent of the albums of Patrick Moraz.

Multi-faceted it may be, but it works.

The underlying theme of the album is man himself – his contradictions and idiosyncrasies.

All self-composed, with the majority of music coming from the pen of guitarist and singer Valerio Rizzotti, this album – with highlights that include opener The Persistence of Memories and In Circle, not forgetting the two song-cycles – shows that not all progressive rock is self indulgent